The Forbidden Touch

CHAPTER 2

The next morning, the rain was gone.

Sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the Reyes residence, illuminating every polished surface in the dining room. Everything looked perfect—exactly the way Victoria Reyes liked it.

Amara sat at the long table, slowly stirring her coffee.

Her mother glanced up from her tablet.

"You seem distracted."

"I'm fine."

Victoria raised an eyebrow.

"Fine doesn't usually mean staring at a cup of coffee for five minutes."

Amara forced a smile.

"I just didn't sleep well."

It wasn't entirely a lie.

Most of the night had been spent thinking about a stranger she had seen for less than a minute.

A stranger whose face kept appearing in her thoughts.

Fortunately, her mother seemed satisfied with the explanation.

"Make sure you're focused today," Victoria said. "The Mendoza Foundation representatives will be attending the university event next week. Networking opportunities matter."

"Yes, Mom."

The familiar conversation continued.

Future.

Expectations.

Responsibilities.

Everything had already been planned.

Everything except whatever strange feeling had appeared yesterday.

Amara finished breakfast and headed for campus.

By lunchtime, she had nearly convinced herself she'd imagined the entire encounter.

People crossed paths every day.

There was no reason to think she'd ever see him again.

Then fate decided otherwise.

The university library was unusually crowded.

Students occupied nearly every table.

Amara searched for a quiet place to work on her literature project.

After several minutes, she finally spotted an empty seat near the back.

Relieved, she walked toward it.

Unfortunately, someone else reached it at exactly the same time.

"Oh."

"Oh."

They both stopped.

Amara looked up.

And froze.

The boy from the rain.

His eyes widened slightly with recognition.

For a moment neither spoke.

Then he stepped back.

"You can take it."

His voice was calm and deeper than she expected.

Amara blinked.

"No, it's okay. You saw it first."

"Actually, I didn't."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"You were closer."

The smile caught her off guard.

It transformed his serious expression completely.

For some reason, her heart skipped.

Ridiculous.

Absolutely ridiculous.

She didn't even know his name.

"You sure?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Positive."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Neither moved.

The silence became awkward.

Finally, Amara sat down.

The stranger turned to leave.

Before she could stop herself, she spoke.

"Wait."

He paused.

She immediately regretted it.

What exactly was she supposed to say now?

Fortunately, words arrived before panic took over.

"Were you the one helping that delivery worker yesterday?"

His expression softened.

"Yeah."

"I saw that."

He shrugged.

"Anyone would've helped."

"No."

Amara smiled.

"Not everyone would."

For a brief moment, something unreadable crossed his face.

Then he extended his hand.

"Liam."

Amara looked at it.

Then shook it.

His hand was warm.

A simple gesture.

Nothing special.

Yet somehow the contact felt significant.

"Amara."

"Nice to officially meet you, Amara."

The way he said her name made her unexpectedly aware of every heartbeat.

She quickly looked away.

"Nice to meet you too."

Liam glanced toward the crowded tables.

"I should probably find another seat before they're all gone."

Amara laughed.

"Good luck."

"I'll need it."

Then he walked away.

This time she knew his name.

Liam.

And somehow that made him even harder to forget.

Over the next week, their paths crossed repeatedly.

At first it seemed coincidental.

A glimpse in the hallway.

A shared elevator ride.

A brief conversation outside a classroom.

But eventually even Amara started noticing a pattern.

The university wasn't small.

The odds of seeing the same person so often should have been low.

Yet there he was.

Again.

And again.

And again.

One afternoon she found him sitting beneath a large acacia tree near the engineering building.

He was sketching something in a notebook.

Curiosity got the better of her.

"What are you drawing?"

Liam looked up.

A smile appeared.

"I was wondering when you'd finally ask."

Amara laughed.

"You noticed me staring?"

"You weren't exactly subtle."

Embarrassment flooded her cheeks.

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

He turned the notebook toward her.

The page contained an incredibly detailed building design.

Every line was precise.

Every angle carefully measured.

"Wow."

Liam looked pleased by her reaction.

"You like it?"

"It's amazing."

"Architecture project."

Amara studied the drawing.

"You designed this?"

"Trying to."

"Trying?"

He laughed softly.

"You make it sound more impressive than it is."

"I'm serious."

She pointed at the page.

"This is incredible."

For the first time, Liam looked genuinely shy.

And somehow that made him seem more human.

More real.

Less like the mysterious stranger she'd built up in her imagination.

They talked for nearly an hour.

About classes.

Books.

Dreams.

Future plans.

The conversation flowed naturally.

Effortlessly.

As if they'd known each other much longer than a week.

When Amara finally checked the time, she nearly jumped.

"I have to go."

Liam glanced at her phone.

"Your next class?"

"Worse."

"What?"

"My mother."

His laughter echoed beneath the tree.

"That serious?"

"You have no idea."

Something in her expression must have convinced him.

Because his smile faded slightly.

"Strict?"

"Very."

Liam nodded.

"I get it."

His tone suggested personal experience.

Amara wanted to ask more.

But before she could, her phone rang.

Mom.

Speak of the devil.

"I really have to go."

Liam stood.

"Then go."

She hesitated.

A strange reluctance settled in her chest.

For some reason, she didn't want the conversation to end.

Neither seemed eager to leave.

Finally, Amara smiled.

"I'll see you around?"

Liam held her gaze.

Something warm flickered in his eyes.

"Yeah."

A pause.

Then—

"I hope so."

For the rest of the day, Amara couldn't stop smiling.

And for the first time in a very long time, the future her family had planned for her didn't feel quite as important as it once had.

Because somewhere between a rainstorm and a chance encounter in the library, someone unexpected had entered her life.

And neither of them knew it yet.

But that chance encounter was about to change everything.